SULADS STORIES

WHEN THE ROAD TURNED INTO MOUNTAINS AND RIVERS

by Jun Cardente

Dao Mission School

November 1996

STOP!!  It was Sunday morning when we traveled to our area.  Suddenly, the jeepney stopped.  The driver and the conductor got out of the jeepney and looked at what had happened.  “Oh,” they said.  “The road turned into mountains.  We cannot pass because there is road widening work going on by the government.”

The project was being conducted at Lumbayao, San Fernando.  We cannot get to our destination any way but to pass on that road.  The government project was hindering our progress at this point.  We waited along with the other vehicles for about an hour while we waited for the heavy equipment that was working on the road.  The bulldozers were transferring the mountains to the other side.  With one last pass, the mountain turned back into a road and we were able to pass on a road that was more than twice the width of the original road.  With this, the driver started the jeepney and we continued on to Halapitan, the government center of San Fernando Township. 

 At this point, I did not know what to do to get to my destination.  Should I ride a jeepney?  If so, which one?  Or maybe I should walk from here?  I wondered about the condition of the road.  I decided to follow the guidance of my partner but he was very quiet.  We got out of the jeepney.  It was 1:00 p.m. but we had not yet eaten our lunch.  My partner said we should wait for another jeepney.  I was hungry and thirsty by this time.  After about two hours, another jeepney came by and my partner flagged it down.  We got in and started on the next leg of our journey. 

Rain started falling very heavily.  My partner was worried because he was concerned about a flood.  My partner then told me that whatever vehicle one takes, one must cross over rivers and streams at least 30 times.  At that news, I bowed my head and closed my eyes and prayed .  I know that nothing is impossible with God.  After my prayer, the jeepney crossed the first river.  I was afraid.  That was the first time in my life I had seen a road turn into a river!  I was thankful to God for leading us.  After many more crossings, we reached Bugca where we got out of the jeepney.  We unloaded our heavy things from the jeepney.

We finally ate our lunch there in the home of a relative of my partner.  During the lunch time, my partner told me that we would then hike for three hours over a muddy trail and cross three more rivers.  Imagining what it would be like, I already felt tired.  I thought of our heavy load which must be carried for those three hours.  I was discouraged.  Then I recalled Joshua 1:9 where it says, “Be strong and of good courage.  Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”  I then thought of Joshua when he led the Children of Israel across the Jordan River and my courage and strength returned.

The time came and we started hiking.  I picked up my heavy load and followed my partner.  It was now 3:00 p.m.  We walked and walked.  I didn’t know where we were but we reached Dao at 6:30 p.m.  I was very tired but also very happy. 

When I reached the place, I realized that my responsibilities had begun.  I felt embarrassed for almost two weeks because of the new culture I encountered.  I praise God because he gave me courage and strength to overcome the culture shock I experienced.  Now, I am not only encountering physical mountains and rivers, but spiritual mountains and rivers as well.  I pray to the Lord for strength to cross these difficulties.  I must climb these mountains of hardship and cross these rivers of difficulty.  I am now happy in the service of the Lord.  I believe that success is not measured so much by the profession that one has reached in life but by the obstacles that one has over come.

 Please pray for us here in Dao Mission School.